New York Mets interim manager Andy Green has given rookie center fielder A.J. Ewing a "reset" as the young player navigates a difficult stretch in his rookie season. Ewing was not in the starting lineup on Friday, even though he historically performs better against left-handed pitchers, the type the opposing pitcher was.
Green described the break as a "48-hour reset to get going again," coming after a scheduled day off. Ewing expressed understanding of the decision, stating that observing the game can offer valuable insights.
Ewing's offensive struggles began around the All-Star break. After posting an .805 OPS in his first 55 games following his call-up from Triple-A Syracuse, the 22-year-old has seen his performance dip significantly. In his last 44 games entering Friday, his OPS had fallen to .494, a mark worse than all but one other player in the league. His strikeout rate also increased to 28.2 percent during this period.
Despite the slump, Ewing maintains his confidence, drawing parallels to his earlier success. "One thing I understand is the person going through anything like this right now is the same person that was going the other way [in the first half]," Ewing said. "This stuff happens and as much as I want to say it’s never going to happen again, it’s going to happen again. But I’m going to get out of this."
Green, who inserted another rookie, Nick Morabito, into the lineup, echoed Ewing's potential for a comeback. "We know there’s more in there from him in the batter’s box than we’re seeing right now," Green said. "We’ve seen it. Like anybody else, he’s trying to get hits and sometimes you have to take a breath and trust how good you are and the work you’ve put in. He’s a guy we believe in to an incredibly high degree going forward. This will serve him well in the long run."
At various points during what has been a challenging season for the Mets, the team had hoped that Ewing and fellow rookie Carson Benge would provide long-term solutions in center and right field, respectively. Ewing's recent performance has introduced some uncertainty, but a National League scout suggested these fluctuations are typical for a player who had limited minor league experience before his major league debut. The scout added that such challenges might be more beneficial now than during a potential playoff push, stating, "Maybe it will serve him well. Better now than when they’re playing for something."